Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - The Myth of Maui (Encore)
Episode Date: August 28, 2026Narrator: Thomas Jones 🇬🇧 Writer: Diana Avram-Anghel ✍️ Sound effects: sea waves 🌊 Welcome back, sleepyheads. Tonight's encore episode takes us to the beautiful Hawaiian... islands, where we'll join Kai, a young boy, who learns about his home and ancestors through the legendary stories of Maui. 😴 Get Sleepy Premium Listen completely ad-free and access our entire catalogue of stories and meditations by subscribing to our premium feed. Your support means the world to us and makes it possible to keep the show running! ❤️ Get your 7-day free trial: getsleepy.com/support. Connect Stay up to date on all our news and even vote on upcoming episodes! Website: slumberstudios.com/getsleepy/ Facebook: facebook.com/getsleepypod/ Instagram: instagram.com/getsleepypod/ Our Apps Redeem exclusive unlimited access to Premium content for 1 month FREE in our mobile apps built by the Get Sleepy and Slumber Studios team: Deep Sleep Sounds: deepsleepsounds.com/getsleepy/ Slumber: slumber.fm/getsleepy/ FAQs Have a query for us or need help with something? You might find your answer here: Get Sleepy FAQs About Get Sleepy Get Sleepy is the #1 storytelling podcast designed to help you get a great night’s rest. By combining sleep meditations with a relaxing bedtime story, each episode will guide you gently towards sleep. Thank you so much for listening! Feedback? Let us know your thoughts! slumberstudios.com/contact-us/. Get Sleepy is a production of Slumber Studios. Check out our podcasts, apps, and more at slumberstudios.com. That’s all for now. Sweet dreams ❤️ 😴 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Good evening and welcome to get sleepy. When we listen, we relax and we get sleepy. And we get sleepy.
I'm your host, Thomas. Tonight's encore episode was written by Diana and read by me,
It first came out a little under six years ago, and it takes us to the beautiful Hawaiian
islands where we'll join Kai, a young boy who learns about his home and ancestors through
the legendary stories of Maui.
As a reminder, my voice may sound a little different to normal, as this one was recorded
such a long time ago.
we sail off to sleep, go ahead and make yourself comfortable in bed. Enjoy a moment to just focus
on your breathing. Feel the rise and fall of your chest as you inhale and exhale. Notice the
wave-like motion of each breath. It's coming and going. Slowly washes every
everything away, the good, the bad, and all in between.
Leaving you only with the present moment, like footsteps in the sand, your thoughts begin to
disappear, leaving only the image of the gentle waves on a picturesque ocean cove in Hawaii,
Messled between coconut palms sits a small fishing village.
And this is where our story begins.
On mornings like this, the island exploded with colour.
Yellow, peach and red hibiscus flowers bloomed among the fresh greenery.
Birds with shiny black feathers sang for the golden sun.
for the golden sun. The tan beach bordered turquoise waters which gradually turned bluer and darker.
Under his mother's supervision, Kai played with an improvised fishing pole. Fishing was an important
family tradition. Kai's father was a fisherman and so was his grandfather. Fishing is what
sustained the village, so nearly everyone knew the craft. From a young age, Kai learned that
fishing was not only about feeding a family. It was a way to connect to the ocean, to his ancestors,
and Maui, the mythological hero. Whenever he heard stories about Maui, Kai's face lit up with joy.
Maui was often portrayed as a fisherman that could catch anything.
Armed with a magical fish hook, mythological power and a deep love for the world and its people.
Maui was quite a captivating figure.
Kai knew that one of Maui's biggest catches was the island he lived on.
According to legend, the Hawaiian islands were created on a beautiful summer day.
Early in the morning, Maui's brothers decided to go fishing.
With a smile as bright as the sun, Maui offered to join them and lend a helping hand.
But his brothers declined, unsure of Maui's fishing skills.
Maui was persistent, though.
He talked about the ocean with great command.
He knew how the winds moved its waves, where the waters were rich,
and where they'd find the deepest abyss. Impressed by his knowledge, the brothers allowed
Maui to join. They paddled together, riding the curly waves into the unknown. When they reached
the heart of the ocean, Maui said that this is the ideal fishing spot. Their little canoe was the
only thing between ocean and sky. The boat rocked up and down, as gentle swells.
was passed by on their way across the great blue. Maui closed his eyes and listened. A soft,
salty breeze ruffled his long black hair, and water lapped against the side of the boat.
But Maui heard more. While his brothers were busy hooking their baits and preparing their
fishing poles, Maui cast his magic fish hook into the water. He kept his eyes
His eyes closed and visualised the world beneath the surface.
In his mind, he could see through the deep blue.
He saw pods of dolphins frolicking and great whales leisurely crossing the abyss.
Maui let his hook fall deeper and deeper.
Until it reached the ocean floor, he anchored his hook to a rocky outcropping and
began to pull.
With tension on the line, he told his brothers.
that he caught something monstrous. They must paddle to help him get the fish out of the water.
So the brothers paddled with all their might. The bottom of the sea began to rumble and move.
And, with the brother's efforts, a beautiful island rose out of the water. No islands should be
alone, Maui thought. Everyone needs a friend. So, Maui repeated.
He did the trick, and the Hawaiian islands were born.
Kai loved that story.
Sometimes he wondered what it would be like to fish an entire island.
He wanted to hook one like the island that he lived on,
where colourful fish and playful turtles swam among the coral,
and beautiful mountains rose right out of the sea.
But no matter the catch,
Kai was determined to become a great fish.
One day he'd even build his own canoe. With his rod in hand, Kai waded out into the crystalline waters.
He enjoyed the sensation of the coolness rising up his shins. The fish wouldn't usually bite so
close to the shore, but the shallows were a great place to practice.
Kai remembered his father's instructions. He held the bowels. He held the bowels.
bait between his thumb and index finger and carefully added it to the tip of his small hook,
carved from bone. Once it was nice and secure, he cast his line out into the water.
Now it was time to wait. Some children found the waiting game boring, but Kai loved it. He was
ever curious, always watching, listening and feeling.
The slightest movement on his line might signal something.
A change in hue at the water's surface might be a pod of fish.
Most importantly, a gentle tug meant it was time to reel the line in.
It was pretty incredible that in an ocean as wide as the sky,
a fish could find his bait and nibble on it.
Kai enjoyed the light breeze and the salty smell of the ocean.
The wind, the fish and the waves are telling a story, his grandfather often said.
Fishing is the time to listen.
So Kaya listened patiently.
The ocean was alive.
Some of its waves splash loudly, excited to reach the shore,
while others stretched out lazily in pearly white foam.
Over the wish of the waves, a familiar voice called out Kai's name from the shore, his mother.
It was time to get the hook out of the water.
No fish this time, but that was no bother.
He had the rest of his life to keep fishing.
Kai headed back to the beach, enjoying the swish of the water around his ankles and the soft sand
under his feet. For a few moments, he considered what it would be like to live at the bottom
of the ocean. It seemed like a place of extraordinary tranquility. There, swimming in the deep blue,
he could make a variety of new friends. Not only fish, but all sorts of sea creatures.
He could sleep among forests of colourful coral, splash with chatty.
dolphins and even sing with the whales.
Kai loved whales.
Between November and April, these majestic creatures migrated to Hawaii to enjoy the warm tropical waters.
His father and grandfather saw them often fishing out in the deep.
Occasionally, the whales could be seen from the village, coming up for air at the surface
and even jumping playfully out of the water.
Kai always wondered what their songs were about.
Maui probably knew, he thought.
Kai exited the water and took his first step onto the beach.
He looked down at his footprints on the thin stretch of wet sand.
They lasted only for a moment before being washed away by a wave.
Then the sand grew warmer.
as he moved beyond the reach of the water.
In contrast, the dry sand stuck to his feet.
He liked the way that sand filtered between his toes as he walked.
With the sun high in the sky, the beach was warm.
Kai joined his mother under the calming shade of a palm tree.
She offered him a coconut and kissed his forehead gently.
Kai giggled, enjoying this loving gesture and thanked his mother for the delightful treat.
He put down his fishing pole and, with the coconut in his left hand, sat on the sand watching the ocean.
Each sip of coconut water felt light and refreshing.
It was cool and sweet, and Kai enjoyed it to the last drop.
With a shell, he shaved the tender coconut flesh from the inside and nibbled it down bit by bit.
Once finished, Kai laid flat on his back and gazed up at the sky.
It was an intense shade of blue.
A few thin, dainty clouds meander gradually across his view.
Where do clouds come from?
And how far away were they?
Kai wondered. He remembered an old legend about Maui. According to that story, the sky was once very low.
It was so close to the ground, in fact, that people couldn't walk upright. To end the people's
suffering, Maui decided to push up the sky, though he was strong and powerful. He knew this was
a task he couldn't complete alone. With kindness in his heart and determination in his eyes,
Maui asked his father for help. Together, they lifted the sky high above, allowing room for
mankind to flourish. Now, the sky looked very far. It was far beyond even the tallest tree
atop the tallest mountain on the island.
The legend about father and son reminded Kai of his own dad.
It was nearly time for the fisherman to return to the island.
He stood up, brushed the sand off himself and scanned the horizon for canoes.
Just off on the horizon, he could see a handful of long brown canoes
making their way around the reef and into the cove.
From the beach the canoes were no bigger than ants,
but with the wind and the waves at their back,
they got closer in no time.
The canoes they used had an outrigger.
A long wooden beam fastened to the hull of the canoe,
which made the boat much more stable.
As the canoes approached, they fanned out and rode a gentle wave, laughing and racing one other.
Kai watched as they paddled to the shore.
Once they reached the shallows, the fishermen hopped gracefully out of their canoes and pulled them onto the beach.
Leaving his fishing pole behind, Kai ran happily to greet them.
After hugging his father and grandfather, Kai looked cute.
curiously inside their canoes. The long, hand-carved boats were filled with shimmering grey fish.
Let's thank the ocean for being so generous today, one of the fishermen said, smiling.
Kai watched as all the fishermen gathered in a circle. Then, facing the ocean, they took a moment
to express their gratitude. They thanked their canoes, the wind,
and the waves, the ancestors who guided them, and most of all the fish themselves. After this
inspiring moment the fishermen carried the catch back to the village. It was a warm, lovely afternoon,
calling for a bite to eat and some time to relax. So all went home to their cozy huts just up from the beach,
Inside the cool shade of their thatch hut, Kai told his father about his fishing practice.
He talked about baits, how he listened to the ocean, and how one day he would catch the king of fish, Pimo, just like Maui had long ago.
Kai's father smiled with pride. He offered to tell Kai a story of his own.
Kai happily accepted, already hoping that it would be one about Maui.
They walked back to the beach and found a comfortable place in the shade.
With the sound of the waves in the background, Kai found out how Maui blessed their island with long, sunny days.
A long time ago, sunrise and sunset were different than what we see today.
The blue sky lasted only a few moments because the sun rose in a hurry and was quickly replaced by the moon.
The days were so short and the people had no opportunity to enjoy them.
It was often cold and activities were limited.
Seeing that the people would thrive with longer days, Maui decided that it was time to stop the sun.
An impossible task it seemed.
But Maui had faith in his powers.
He walked all the way across the Great Island.
His journey took him through the lush jungle and to places of extraordinary beauty.
On the seventh day he reached an area devoid of vegetation.
In front of him sat the house of the sun, a towering volcano with boiling lava in its belly.
was rocky, rugged and covered in ash. It was a side of the island that Maui had never seen.
Determined to reach the highest peak by sunrise, Maui advanced steadily. He reached the foot of
the volcano in the evening and continued climbing to its peak through the night. The moon was
his only guide. Its pale blue light reflected off of the distant
waters far below. Maui reached the top just before dawn. Then he saw the first rays of light
peeking over the horizon. The sun appeared, stretching out its yellow arms and hastily moving across
the sky. Using a magic rope made from his sister's silky hair, Maui captured the sun.
With no way to escape, the sun pleaded with the sun.
Maui. But Maui was a gentle being and wasn't there to hurt it. In a calm voice, Maui talked to the
sun about its daily journey. He suggested that it would be much better at a slower pace.
Take your time to appreciate the world around. Enjoy the views, the sounds and smells,
Maui said.
This world you pass by with such haste is beautiful.
If only you take the time to observe it, confident that the sun would oblige,
Maui released it.
Following Maui's advice, the sun slowed down its journey through the sky.
The sunrise and sunset became awe-inspiring.
Warm colors flew across the horizon, and the ocean mirrored the sun's glowing face.
The people were happy, and the sun enjoyed its new pace of life.
When his father finished the story, Kai looked up at the sky, the sun did move quite slowly,
and sunset was his favourite time of the day.
By now, evening was approaching.
and the villages were beginning to gather on the beach.
In a pit dug into the sand,
a few of them carefully stacked logs into the shape of a pyramid.
Then they set it on fire,
sending a stream of grey smoke floating into the sky.
Shades of pink and purple dashed across the horizon.
And Kai thought about Maui.
Perhaps one day he would climb the volcano
and talked to the sun too.
As the day turned into night,
the fire grew brighter and bolder
against the black starry backdrop.
The moon came to watch over the village,
reflecting off of the rippling waters in the cove.
Kai watched the orange flames,
thinking about the volcano's belly of fire.
After a delicious dinner together,
Kai's father and several others
played the ukulele, tender melodies filled the air. The soft strum of the ukulele strings mixed beautifully
with the fire's crackling sounds. Everyone around the fire was smiling, grateful for a full belly,
beautiful music and a loving community. Slowly, the fire began to fade. The trail of smoke disappeared
leaving only a blanket of stars in the sky.
Wishing one another a restful sleep, the families returned to their huts.
Before bed, Kai spent a few minutes stargazing.
He didn't know much about stars.
Because there were so many, he wasn't even sure if he had seen all of them.
But together with his grandfather,
Kai identified the brightest stars,
and imagined his own constellations.
One looked like a bird, and one like a canoe.
And then there was a big constellation that was clearly Maui's fish hook.
Perhaps Maui had left it there for someone to find and use,
Kai thought.
He let out a yawn and laid back in the sand.
Above him, the moon shone brightly over the Hawaiian.
islands. Kai noticed that there seemed to be a smiling face on the moon. Maybe it was Maui,
watching over the people, making sure they were safe and happy.
